Method of making paper boxes



Sept. 4, 1923. 3,467,027

F. J. DOLAN METHOD OF MAKING PAPER BOXES Original Filedsept. 3O 1922 A TTORNE Y6 Fatented Sept. 4, 192,3.

FRANK J. DOLAN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YdRK, ASSIGNOR NEW YORK, N. Y.

TO JOSEPH M. PRICE, OF

. METHOD OF MAKING PAPER BOXES.

Original application filed September 30, 1922, Serial No. 591,466. Divided and this application filed January 6, 1923.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK J. DOLAN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residin at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings, tate of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Making Paper Boxes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention is an improvement in methods of making paper boxes and has to do particularly with such methods of forming beads onthe ends of tubular box elements.

In my prior applications, Serial- Nos. 542,635, 542,636 and 549,686, I show and describe such tubular box elements which have at one or both ends inturned beads providing abutments for engagement by other elements. Tubular boxes are ordinarily constructed of elements which are cut in suitable lengths from formed tubes, the latter being composed of a plurality of spirally wound strips. These strips are usually three in number thus providing a base or body and inner and outer facing layers. The strips are preferably wound in such a 0 manner that the several abutting edges lie in staggered relation in the layers, and in order to prevent fraying or tearing at the edges the entire wall of the element is inturned to provide a bead, thus making it unnecessary to provide binding or finishing strips.

The usual methods of forming beads ,may not be satisfactorily practiced on a finished element because the outer layer or facing 4 strip is frequently broken .or defaced and this gives the completed element an unsightly appearance. Furthermore, in 'order to use such methods to secure a head that will not curl or warp from the element wall, it is fre quently necessary to employ adhesives which are undesirable, not only on account of the added cost, but also on account of the likeli-. hood of causing unsightly stains.

In the present application which is a division of my prior application, Serial. No. 591,466, filed Sept. 30, 1922, I provide a method for forming the bead in such a manner that the finishing or facing strip Serial No 610,966.

will not be broken or mutilated and the bead will be firmly and securely held in place against the element wall without the use of adhesives. In the drawings I have illustrated a convenient t pe of machine by which the method may be practiced, and

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of such a machine.

Fi 2, 4 and 6"" are vertical transverse views thru the former and head, these views showing the parts in the relative positions assumed during the various stages of the forming operation.

Figs. 3, 5 and 7 are 'top plan views of the gripping means of the former illustrated in Figs. 2, 4 and'6 respectively and showing the operation of these devices during the several stages of the forming operation.

Fig. 8 is a view in side elevation of a pair of the gripping devices, and

Fig. 9 is a similar view of one of the elements of the gripping device.

In the machine illustrated in the drawings, which it is to be understood, is merely a conveniently arranged machine for practicin the method, there is a supporting stan ard 1 providing at the upper end a bearing 2 for a horizontal shaft 3. This shaft has mounted at one end a pulley 4 which may be connected to any suitable source of power. Projecting from the standard near its upperend is a bracket 5 in which is supported a vertical shaft 6 at the upper end of which is a bevel gear 7 meshing with a similar gear 8 on the end of the shaft 3. At the other end of the shaft 6 is a rotating head 9.

Projecting from the side of the standard 1 near its lower end is a bracket 10 provided with an upright portion 11 which forms a hub. Mounted within this hub is a hollow sleeve 12 having a housing 13 mounted in its lower end b means of a screw 14, this mounting permltting an adjustment for the housing relative to the end of the sleeve 12, In the housing 13 there is provided a ball 15. The sleeve 12 ishollow at its upper end and there is mounted within it arod 16. The sleeve is provided with a longitudinal slot 17 into which projects a key 18 formed on the side of the hub 6, this key permitting the sleeve to be moved longitudinally of the hub but preventing its rotation. Projecting thru a suitable slot 19 in the upper end of the sleeve is a rod 20 which passes thru an aperture in the rod or shaft 16 and has springs attached to either end, these springs being in turn attached at their other ends to fixed rods 22, 22 secured in the hub 11. It will thus be seen that the sleeve 12 may be moved longitudinally of the hub, but the rod 16 will be yieldingly held against such movement by the springs 21. Upstanding arms 23 attached tov the hub provide-stops at their upper ends for the rod 20.

The construction of the parts thus described will be clear from the examination of Fig. 1. The operation of these parts may be better understood by an examination of Figs. 2, 4 and 6. It will be seen in the latter figures that the rod 16, is provided at its upper end with a head 24 which is of frusto-conical shape, and there is a former 25 secured to the upper end of the sleeve 12, the head projecting beyond the inner face of the former which is in turn provided with a recess 26 into which the head may be moved. The upper face of the former is designed to support the box element which is to be given a bead and in order to grip this element there are provided a plurality of gripping sections 27 shown in the drawings as being four in number. These sections are quadrantal in form and each one has a tongue 28 which enters a recess 29 in the adjacent section.

Each section also has a projecting pin 30 which enters a radial slot 31 in the face of the former body or table' 25. These. sections are ordinarily held in the collapsed position by means of an encirclin band 32 formed of resilient material having a high coefli cient of friction, such as rubber or light material. At the common center of these sections they are formed with recesses. These recesses, as a whole, provide a frustoconical socket in which the head 24 may be received. It will be evident from an examination of Figures 2, 4 and 6 that when the head 24 is moved downwardly with respect to the sections, the head will force the sections apart and when the head is returned to the original position the band 32 will causethe sections to collapse.

In a depending bracket 33 mounted on the lower face of the bracket 10 is a lever arm 34 which projects thru a suitable aperture in the standard 1 and is provided at one end with a cam follower 35 which rides on a cam 36, mounted on a shaft 37 supported in a bracket 38, formed on the standard 1. The shaft 37 is also provided with r a pulley 39 by means of which the shaft and cam may be driven from any suitable source of power. is provided with a cam member 40 which has a cam surfacebearing upon the roller 15 in the housing 13. There will also be provided preferably, some means, as for in- At this other end the arm 34.

stance, fast and loose pulleys on the shaft 37, by means of which the action of the lever arm 34 may be controlled.

In the operation of the machine the box element designated as 41 which is to be given a head will be placed on the former as shown in Fig. 2 a former being selected of such height that the box will extend well above the top of. the former. The former is also of such diameter that the tubular element will fit loosely when the former is collapsed, but will be tightly engaged by the former when the latter is expanded. The resilient band 32 has a high coeflicient of friction which will prevent the tubular element from slipping and will, in turn, prevent the band from slipping relative to the sections of the gripping device. The head 9 is shown to have on its end surface an annular groove 42, which corresponds in cross-section to the shape of the head which is to be formed. The outer diameter of the groove is such that when the box element is moved upwardly toward the head. the outer face of the element will engage the outer wall of the groove. The continued upward movement of the element will cause the wall gradually to be turned inwardly and downwardly as shown in Fig. 6 and the heating of the head caused by friction will assist in softening the material of the wall. This will help mould the bead so that, in fact, the bead is baked in place and there is no tendency of theformed bead to warp or curl away from the element wall.

It will be noted that when the shaft 37 rotates the cam 36, this movement is in turn transmitted to the lever arm 34 to cause the sleeve 12 to move upwardly. This causes the former 25' to carry the box element which has been previously placed in position, against the rotating hub. The rod 16, however, is held inplace by means of the springs 21 and this relative movement of the former and the rod causes the head 24 to expand the sections with a gradual move ment. This expansion causes the box element to be gripped more tightly,'as the bead forming operation is carried on, that is to say, the more tightly the box element is forced against the rotating head, the more tightly will the element be held in position by a gripping device. This is necessary to it will be given a speed so that the operation I of forming the bead may be quickly carried on. It is to be understood of course that the speed of the rotating head will determine the length of time the box element is to be held in contact with it and the cam 36 will, therefore, be given a shape which permits the box element to remain in contact with the rotating head such a time as is necessary to form the desired bead.

While the machine here illustrated is one which may be used for the practice of mymethod, it is clear that various other constructions are equally suitable. I desire to carry on bead forming operation depending on heat and pressure while holding the element with a gripping force which is sufficient to overcome the force exerted by the bead forming head and I desire to increase the gripping force proportionally with the force exerted by the forming head. When the bead has been completed the former carrying the box element may be moved away from the head whereupon the force of the gripping members will be relaxed and the finished element may be removed and a new one substituted. The cycle of operation described will then be repeated.

By forming the box in accordance with the method which'I have described I find that there is no likelihood of the element being torn or defaced and the head will be smoothly and firmly united to the element wall.

I claim:

1. The process of forming beads on the ends of tubular box elements of paper or the like, which consists in holding the box element against rotary movement with its end in contact with a revolving member, whereby to soften the material in the end by frictionally generated heat, gradually increasing the contact pressure to form a bead on the end of said element and simultaneously increasing the holdingforce.

2. The process of forming beads on the ends of tubular box elements of pape r or the like, which consists in holding said element against rotary movement with its end in contact with a'rotating member whereby to heat the end of said element and soften the same, as it is being turned, and increasing the holding force during the softening and turning operation.

3. The process of forming beads on the ends of tubular box elements of paper or-the like which consists in holding the element against rotary movement while subjecting the end to, heating by frictionally generated heat to soften the material therein, turning the end during such heating and increasing the holding force'as the turning is carried In testimony whereof I aifix m si ature.

FRANK J. O N. 

